Just received set of 1 yr. old turkeys and when transporting the hens leg is messed up HELP

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Hi I used a huge dog crate to transport them and the bottom was very slippery and the hen is lame.. I go out and lift her ever two hours to make sure she eats and drinks. She flaps her wings and her movements in both legs are fine up until she goes to lay down.. She goes on her side and it's very difficult and I haven't seen her able to stand up herself.. I think I'm going to wait 2 days to do anything. She may be sore or pulled a muscle. What do you think? thanks Carrie

-- carrie (onemaur@olg.com), November 28, 2001

Answers

roast

-- sopal (sopal@net-port.com), November 28, 2001.

Might try duck tape. May not work since it is a turkey.

-- Belle (gardenbelle@terraworld.net), November 28, 2001.

Sorry about that Carrie. Couldn't resist after seeing "roast" as a suggestion. Hope your hen gets better.

-- Belle (gardenbelle@terraworld.net), November 28, 2001.

Is there anything noticeably wrong with her legs like cuts or swelling? Hey Belle, I have actually used Duct Tape on my duck's broken wing and it healed up! Hubby thought that was funny. Or should I say it quacked him up?! Sorry couldn't resist.

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), November 28, 2001.

Carrie, I wouldn't be too quick to do anything drastic with her (like an ax). Birds are light boned and easy to injure so they can do things like this to themselves. One thing you have to remember about an animal, and expecially the more brainless types like poultry, is they have no concept of "having" to get up for anything. Leg hurts, they stay down. It doesn't necessarily mean there is a permanent problem, just that it hurts. If she eats and seems ok in other ways, I'd go longer than two days before doing her in, especially if you wanted her for breeding stock.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), November 28, 2001.


I know this sounds silly, but... Can you get a cardboard box, cut leg holes in it, strap her down and than keep feed and water available to see if that will help her recover use of her legs? Kind of like hanging a horse from a sling for an injured leg.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), November 29, 2001.

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